LAWRENCE, Kan. – South Dakota women's tennis closed out one of its best fall seasons by competing in the ITA Regionals hosted by the University of Kansas.
 
Five of the six Coyotes that participated in singles play won a match while two of the three doubles teams also claimed victory in an event that included 29 teams throughout the Midwest portion of the United States.
 
"We went down to Lawrence knowing we had to play great tennis to get any results," head coach Brett Barnett said. "Our region is one of the toughest in the country and there aren't any easy matches. We've talked all fall about just competing and playing for each other and not worrying about the logo on the opponent's shirt.
 
"I thought everyone stepped up again and played at such a high level. The conditions were brutal, it was so windy and cold but everyone did a great job just playing and not complaining."
 
South Dakota doubles team of Sorcha Caves and Bea Havlickova posted a 2-1 mark during the event while reaching the round of 32 before falling to a highly-ranked duo from Arkansas that was seeded second in the draw.
 
Havlickova/Caves, closing the fall with a 8-7 record, defeated a Lindenwood duo 8-2 and a tandem from Minnesota 8-1 before suffering the close setback, 8-5, to the pair from Arkansas.
 
Paige Alter and Amanda de Oliveira defeated a team from SIU Edwardsville before falling to a team from Iowa State. Meanwhile, the unbeaten fall of Grace Chadick and Anna Medvyedyeva came to an end with a tough loss in a tie-break to a duo from Southeast Missouri State.
 
Alter and de Oliveira finished the fall at 8-7 while Chadick and Medvyedyeva went 12-1.
 
"It was great qualifying everyone for the main draw in doubles," said Barnett. "Doubles had been a big focus this fall and we really played at a high level again this weekend.
 
"Bea and Sorcha played their best tennis of the fall. Everything came together and they destroyed a Minnesota team that beat them earlier in the fall and went toe to toe with the #22 team in country from Arkansas and had chances to convert. Amanda and Paige played well against Iowa State and the streak for Grace and Anna ended but what a fall they had."
 
Chadick, a junior, won her opening round match in the main draw in a tough three-set battle against Jillian Roa of Nebraska, 3-6, 6-3, 7-5. Chadick, closing the fall with a 9-2 singles mark, fell in the round of 64 to Oleksandra Nahurska of Tulsa in straight sets.
 
Havlickova, a junior, went 1-2 overall in the main draw, splitting a pair of consolation matches, defeating Nore Heinitz of North Dakota before falling to Daniela Hlacikova. She finishes the fall season with a 7-5 singles record.
 
Caves and de Oliveira, both freshmen, fell one-win shy of qualifying for the main draw, each going 1-1.
 
Caves posted a straight set win over Northern Iowa and de Oliveira had another win over a Power 5 opponent, this one a straight sets win over Kansas.
 
Selena Bird and Alter both fell in the opening round of the qualifying singles with Bird bouncing back to earn a consolation victory over an Arkansas player.
 
Bird, a sophomore, finished the fall season with a 8-3 singles mark.
 
"I was so proud of Selena for how she played in singles," said Barnett. "She had a nice opportunity this weekend and took it. Played so well in a tough loss to a really good player from Wichita State and came back and beat Arkansas routinely. 
 
"Amanda and Sorcha had nice wins in their opening matches and came up just short in their qualifying matches but the two of them had amazing fall seasons and their future is so bright. Bea competed well, had a tough first match but played great aggressive tennis to beat a tricky North Dakota opponent. Grace pulled through a marathon first round against Nebraska. She showed a lot of heart and found a way to win when she was 4-5 30-30 in the third set."
 
South Dakota closes the fall season with a 52-30 overall singles mark while the four doubles teams combined to post a mark of 36-19.
 
The Coyotes will begin work on preparing for the spring dual season which begins in mid-January.
 
"The team had such a great fall breaking program records for overall wins," said Barnett. "We are nowhere near a finished product, have a lot of work to do but this team sees how special this season can be. 
 
"We need to keep working hard and continuing to push each other daily. I can't wait for dual match season in the spring to see what this team can accomplish!"